Q: If a source provides me with an illegally recorded conversation or other piece of documentation illegally obtained, can I use the information in my article? A: It depends. If you and your media outlet did not ask your source to obtain the material illegally or otherwise take part in its acquisition, and if you received the… Continue reading Ask SPLC: Can I use an illegally recorded conversation?
Q: Can we take pictures of celebrities from the internet and Photoshop students into them without violating copyright law? A: Probably not, unless you have a license from the photographer to alter the image, or if the image is in the public domain. Using Photoshop (or any other program) to change an image does not excuse… Continue reading Ask SPLC: Can I use a photo I pulled from Google if I Photoshop it?
In the frenzy of news coverage leading up to an election, student journalists have to answer the question; to endorse, or not to endorse? The practice of candidate endorsement for student government, local, state and national offices has been debated in newsrooms in recent years. Some student newsrooms see the issue in black and white:… Continue reading Should student journalists endorse political candidates?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 3, 2018 Contact: Diana Mitsu Klos, director of engagement (202) 728-7267/ dmk@splc.org For their ingenuity and daring to publish a story about the firing of a popular teacher on a website they created after it was censored from their newspaper, Conor Spahr and Max Gordon are the recipients of the 2018… Continue reading NEWS RELEASE: “Courage in Student Journalism Award” goes to Utah couriers of democracy who launched a news website after their school censored them
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: OCT 27, 2018 Contact: Diana Mitsu Klos, director of engagement (202) 728-7267/ dmk@splc.org For doggedly exposing controversies involving campus and local police, The Southwestern College Sun is the recipient of the Student Press Law Center’s 2017 Reveille Seven College Press Freedom Award. “The culture at The Sun is to speak truth to… Continue reading NEWS RELEASE: The Southwestern College Sun recognized with national award for holding law enforcement agencies accountable
Student Press Law Center (Washington D.C.) Reporting internship – Interns will report on breaking news on complex legal topics with longer-form storytelling on SPLC.org, its social media platforms and thrice-yearly magazine. Interns will work on multiple stories concurrently. Most will center on the intersection of law, journalism and education. Interns will help with researching, writing… Continue reading November is a big month for internship deadlines; apply now!
Political advertisements in student newspapers have become more common over the last decade, as local candidates acknowledge the importance student press play in their communities. Chris Richert is president of the College Media Business and Advertising Managers, Inc. and the general manager for The State Newsat Michigan State University, East Lansing. Richert has seen a… Continue reading Student media guide to publishing political ads
Q:We are putting together a highlight reel of our football team's season that we'll show on our school's cable student TV station. Can we use Queen's song "We Will Rock You" as background music? A: Unfortunately no. The general rule is that if you've not created a copyrighted work yourself you must either obtain prior explicit… Continue reading Ask SPLC: Can I use a popular song for a video?
Every month, the Student Press Law Center makes a list of paid journalism internships. Good luck!
Q: Can we publish students' names and photos online without parental permission, even when the students are minors? A: Yes. Many people mistakenly believe that parental consent is needed in order to identify students in a publication-- be it print or online-- but no federal privacy law requires such consent. If your school tells you there… Continue reading Ask SPLC: Parental permissions for photos of minors?
